Social Work Masters Flashcards
7 cards from real MSW practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Social Work Masters flashcards as text
Which theoretical perspective in social work argues that problems are maintained by social structures and inequitable distribution of power and resources?
Answer: Structural social work theory
Structural social work locates the source of clients' problems in oppressive social structures rather than individual deficits.
A social worker at a school notices a student's grades have dramatically declined following their parents' divorce. This is BEST explained through which lens?
Answer: Person-in-environment — the family transition is affecting the student's functioning
The person-in-environment framework examines how changes in the social environment, like family disruption, affect individual functioning.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), what obligation do social service agencies generally have toward clients with disabilities?
Answer: Make reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to services
The ADA requires reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access, balanced against undue hardship to the organization.
Which technique in cognitive behavioral therapy involves systematically testing the validity of a client's negative automatic thoughts?
Answer: Socratic questioning
Socratic questioning guides clients to examine evidence for and against automatic thoughts, facilitating cognitive restructuring.
A social worker employed by a child welfare agency learns that agency policy is violating clients' legal rights. What is the MOST appropriate first step?
Answer: Raise the concern internally through appropriate administrative channels
Ethical practice typically involves first using internal channels to address policy violations before escalating externally.
In substance use treatment, what does the harm reduction model primarily aim to do?
Answer: Minimize the negative consequences of substance use without requiring cessation
Harm reduction accepts that some individuals may continue using substances and focuses on reducing associated harms and health risks.
Which type of validity refers to the degree to which a research instrument measures what it is intended to measure?
Answer: Construct validity
Construct validity assesses whether an instrument accurately measures the theoretical construct it is designed to assess.